Sustainable Food

WHAT
Sustainable Farming Skills.

Curry report on Sustainable Farming and Food in the UK outlines many issues - including occupational health & safety and particular high accidental death rate. Much 'sustainability' is just talk, and "sustainable" is being stuck in front of anything. But we musn't loose the power of "Sustainable" to include our TU agenda.

Joan Maynard (ex President of farmworkers union) taught me many years ago that markets and science dont make food - workers do. And they should be properly recognised and rewarded for doing so.

e.g Pesticides: Whenever we consider an alternative, it involves more labour and more learning at all levels. Charlie represented TGWU farmworkers for a law that operators should gain a nationally recognised qualification to spray. Now we want to campaign for a qualification for NOT spraying pesticides.

There is a vocational qualification in Organic Food Growing (Open College Network Programme 3428 is level 2 and consists of 2 Units, one a theoretical unit examining the principles of organic cultivation, the other a practical unit developing skills and competence in the applications of organic cultivation).

Sustainable Food Skills